as in charismatic
having an often mysterious or magical power to attract
the heroine in the story has an elfin beauty that men find irresistible
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Recent Examples of elfin
Meanwhile, as Hjalmar’s 14-year-old daughter, Hedvig, the elfin Maaike Laanstra-Corn is delivering yet another wonderfully eccentric embodiment of a high-strung tween with a potentially perilous excess of imagination.
—
Sara Holdren, Vulture, 14 Sep. 2025
Numerous species are commercially available, from the culinary classic common thyme (Thymus vulgaris) to colorful flowering groundcovers such as elfin thyme (Thymus serpyllum) and creeping thyme (Thymus praecox).
—Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 25 Aug. 2025
In a series of illustrated stories, Lung describes the Labubu as an elfin creature.
—Merlisa Lawrence Corbett, Forbes.com, 13 Aug. 2025
The look is elfin, but less shaggy than an elfish cut, often pulled off with a mod, micro-cut bang instead.
—Essence, 21 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for elfin
Sara Holdren, Vulture, 14 Sep. 2025
Numerous species are commercially available, from the culinary classic common thyme (Thymus vulgaris) to colorful flowering groundcovers such as elfin thyme (Thymus serpyllum) and creeping thyme (Thymus praecox).
—Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 25 Aug. 2025
In a series of illustrated stories, Lung describes the Labubu as an elfin creature.
—Merlisa Lawrence Corbett, Forbes.com, 13 Aug. 2025
The look is elfin, but less shaggy than an elfish cut, often pulled off with a mod, micro-cut bang instead.
—Essence, 21 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for elfin
Recent Examples of Synonyms for elfin
Adjective
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Rudnev was a charismatic leader, whose ideas on yoga and philosophy attracted a significant following.—
William Jones,
USA Today,
20 Feb. 2026
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Every decade gets at least one charismatic male movie star who’s drop-dead gorgeous yet somehow guy-next-door relatable, action-hero intense one second and irresistibly charming the next.—
David Fear,
Rolling Stone,
19 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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From the charming streets of Valldemossa to the breathtaking beaches around Cala Mesquida, nowhere is further than an hour’s drive from the property.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
20 Feb. 2026
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Dark, moody walls make the natural-wood bench and light floors stand out; a charming white dome pendant light ties the space together.—
Sophia Beams,
Better Homes & Gardens,
19 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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What's so appealing about this spring boot is their comfortable fit and elevated, androgynous structure, which looks very similar to an Oxford dress shoe when paired with Johnson's black Agolde straight-leg '90s jeans.—
Emily Tannenbaum,
Glamour,
15 Feb. 2026
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As construction costs remain high, the cost-effectiveness of adaptive reuse is particularly appealing.—
Margi Glavovic Nothard,
Sun Sentinel,
15 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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Even the blaring horns of the cars of New Delhi and the chaos of the Summit weren’t enough to dampen the enthusiasm from big tech for India which continues to grow as a critical and attractive market for some of the world’s largest firms.—
Arjun Kharpal,
CNBC,
21 Feb. 2026
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Much of the season is given over, as in the show’s first iteration, to the round-robin-style hookups and breakups taking place among the young and largely attractive staff.—
Naomi Fry,
New Yorker,
21 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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Steeped in history and seemingly suspended in time, this enchanting Georgia barrier island offers visitors an immersion into another time.—
Kelsey Glennon,
Southern Living,
21 Feb. 2026
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Filmmakers Chris Lavis and Maciek Szczerbowski find an enchanting balance between storybook allure and adult trickery.—
Robert Abele,
Los Angeles Times,
20 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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Her debut turn alongside Jeremy Renner as a seductive escort got industry tongues wagging.—
Alex Ritman,
Variety,
15 Feb. 2026
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The Chartreuse charms the cocktail, giving it a bright herbaceousness and seductive spice, with the liqueur’s full battery of gifts echoing into a long, ambrosial finish.—
Jeremy Repanich,
Robb Report,
14 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Elfin.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/elfin. Accessed 22 Feb. 2026.
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